Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 19:58:25 -0500
From: Gary <gary_q@hotmail.com>
Subject: Patient John Doe Chapter 4

Patient John Doe
By Gary_Q
Gary_Q@hotmail.com

The below story is a work of fiction, none of the events described
happened, nor do any of the characters exist.  This story may contains
erotic and/or sexually explicit behavior between consenting males, both
adult and underage minors.  If it is illegal for you to, or you find this
sort of work offensive, don't download or read it!

The author reserves all copyrights to this story, it my be printed,
electronically recorded or reproduced ONLY for personal use.  The
reproduction or linking to this story by pay web sites is expressly
forbidden.

Author's Note: The first part, or some of this Chapter is a little 'dryer'
than I like, but I think is necessary to lay a foundation, to develop the
story-line if you will.  If I'm drifting too far away, let me know.

			       Chapter Four

     Cindy fairly well honored my request to keep our enterprise quiet, nor
did she waste any time.  At first I was a little shocked when her husband
handed me two floppy disks the next morning, telling me she asked that I
answer all the questions on them.  From his eyes I could tell he knew
exactly what they were, but also that it wouldn't go any further.
     There was good and bad news about Johnny.  He was generally doing
fantastically, regaining his strength and color, even complaining about
being bedridden.  Someone on the nursing staff came up with a Nintendo
which helped occupy him.  The results of the work-ups the hospital were not
so pleasing.
     As we expected his right arm was completely paralyzed, the nerve
damage Roberts observed during surgery was too severe to leave much hope of
recovery.  His right leg had also suffered substantial damage, he had
limited range of motion in his hip, more in his leg; but almost no strength
in either, the prognosis for his leg didn't seem much better than his arm.
     "We need to have a Nero and a Vascular surgeon evaluate him," Ryan
said.  At first I didn't see how that should be a problem, until he awoke
me into the real world.  "There's a few guys on staff here that do
Pedi-Neurological Surgery, we have one that does Pedi-Vascular, but they
don't work for Medicaid rates, we'd have to transfer him to University
Hospital."
     'Yeah well,' I thought.  I wasn't on staff at University, but knew I
would have no problem getting that status.  I didn't look forward to going
twenty miles across town for a single patient every day,. but was going to
follow this little guy until he was well.  I assumed that was Ryan and
Robert's concern too, but only very briefly.
     "Doctor Jewels is still CV Chief of Staff there," Roberts grunted.  I
felt my body stiffen just hearing the name.  Doctor Jewels was indeed a
real jewel less than a month ago he had been arrested, at the hospital,
when a packet of Crack Cocaine fell out of his pocket as he dressed after
surgery.  The entire medical community had reeled when his blood test
showed he had just performed open heart surgery while stoned out of mind,
triple the legal limit to drive much less perform surgery.  Multiple
reports soon surfaced about other times he had been observed while clearly
stoned.
     "That settled that! Anyone know a generous vein plumber?" I asked.
     I stopped back in to see our little buddy on my way out of the
hospital and he looked like he was doing fine.  I was about ten feet from
the exit door to the parking lot when the overhead page pinged, announcing,
"Code Blue, Code Blue Three West.  Code Blue in Three West," making my
asshole sucked wind.  'Code Blue' was the hospital's hospital's coded
message announcing a cardiac arrest, and ward three west was the Pediatric
Intermediate Care Ward, where Johnny was being treated.
     I pushed several people out of my way as I dashed back to the
elevators.  Of course all of the cars were at the fifteenth floor or above,
and none of them seemed to move as I beat the poor call button half to
death.  'Fuck it,' I told myself after a couple of seconds, and bolted to
the stairwell.  I completely ignored the security alarm I set of as I burst
through the emergency door, climbing the three stories like a sprinter.
     I staggered so badly I almost fell as I rushed onto the ward and saw
twenty or so people, several of them pushing crash carts and other
equipment into Johnny's room.  'No God, PLEASE NO!' I prayed as I all but
forced my way through the other staffers to get into his room.  The closer
to his room I got the more my little finger, than my arm began throbbing.
     I was completely unprepared for the sight that awaited me.  Johnny was
sitting red-faced in a recliner next to the window, about fifteen feet from
his bed.  He was staring, a bewildered look on his face at Roberts, was
who's face was oscillating between red and ghost white as he glared at the
boy.
     "Well, my butt hurt!  It just looked more comfortable," the boy
whimpered.  "Sir," he added as Roberts' eyes fired another batch of daggers
into him.
     "I think you guys do behavior modification?" Roberts growled softly
into my ear on his way out of the room.
     Probably from relief, and from absorbing the irony of the situation, I
lost my professional composure and began snickering, trying to keep from
giggling as we found out what had happened.  Johnny, despite his paralyzed
arm and all but useless leg, had climbed over the two foot or so high
safety rail of his hospital bed, and hopped on his one good leg over to the
recliner, somehow pulling loose the electrodes for his wireless heart
monitor from his chest, sending a signal to the nurses station he had
arrested.
     Although I probably made every author of every medical school text
book roll over in their graves I broke standard protocols and took him off
of total bed rest, making him promise to call his nurse before he tried to
move around the room.  I was starting out of his room, a half hour late for
my first office appointment when he announced, "Well, but I'm hungry."
     "Change his orders to regular diet, and you might want to stock up on
snacks," I told his nurse.  I walked back over to the recliner and brushed
the hair out his eyes, enjoying his innocent face.  "And two scoops of ice
cream, any flavor, BID (prescription shorthand for twice a day)" I told the
nurse.
     He looked up at me and gave me a wonderfully happy smile as he grabbed
my still throbbing fingers.  I didn't realize I had kissed his forehead
until I was almost out the door and felt his wide smile still attaching the
back of my head.  I returned his smile and gave him a thumbs up.
     By midmorning I was back on schedule, and was dictating patient
records, when I remembered a friend from Medical School; actually a former
roommate.  We shared a tiny dump that was falsely advertised as an
apartment our last year of school before going our separate ways, him to
Residency training in Neurological Surgery, me into Psychiatry.  I had seen
him in the halls at Central Baptist a couple of times, but every time our
paths crossed we barely had time to say hi to each other.  After I found
his number in the local Medical Society's Directory I was disappointed to
see he had gone to work for a Sports Medicine clinic here in town, but
decided I didn't have anything to loose.  He seemed thrilled to hear from
me, and an hour later we met for lunch at a Deli near the hospital.
     "Damn, you're still a long hair!" he teased as we sat down.  "When are
you going to grow up, maybe get a job!"  His appearance had changed
considerably, he was dressed in a clearly custom tailored three piece suit
and sported an ivy league haircut, but his personality had not, still as
sharp tongued as ever.  I'm sure my dockers and polo shirt made us a
contrasting pair.  Just to piss him off I untied my pony tail and let my
hair drop around my shoulders.
          We spent five minutes or so catching up on each other's lives
before I dropped Johnny's problem on him, asking for his help.
     "This is the John Doe boy at Central?" he asked.  "You are the one
that saved him?  I heard the name Owens, but I didn't think it was you!
Did he really crash three times?  Were you really doing open heart on the
elevator?"
     I tried to explain I wasn't the hero just a poor bastard thrust into a
situation I wasn't prepared for, but he just laughed.  "I'd be glad to do
anything I can, when can I have a look at him?" he asked.
     Ten minutes after we finished lunch we were back at the hospital.  If
I didn't know better I would have sworn my little patient was aware we were
coming and prepared some sort of con job.  He was back in bed in a
semi-sitting position, leaning back again his pillow with a totally cute
chocolate ice cream moustache and goatee, an empty bowl in his lap.
      "Hi Johnny, I'm another Johnny, I'm Doctor John," my friend said to
the boy before I could introduce anyone.  'Doctor John?' I thought as I
looked at his starched collar and vest, his first name was John, John
Wright.  He went on to make a couple of jokes about Johnny's 'complexion
problem' as he wiped the boy's face with a tissue.  His approach worked
perfectly, and Johnny relaxed and cooperated while his senior given
namesake spent the better part of an hour examining him.
     "Adam, I'm only an associate at our clinic, I cannot accept patients
without one of the partner's approval, especially a pro-bono one," he began
as we stepped into the hall.  "But if SOMEONE ordered an MRI and CT on the
boy's leg and hip, and if it crossed my desk, I would of course read it.  I
don't know right now if I could help him or not, but I'll bust my backside
trying."  After he checked off the tests he wanted I signed the order.  I
had to have the results sent to me instead of him, but got his e-mail and
as soon as I got back to the office told my nurse to immediately forward
them to him, and he agreed to join Roberts, Ryan and myself for our morning
'Johnny Meeting'.
     Tomorrow shaped up to be Johnny Day, at least all morning was going to
be.  I finally granted approval for the police to interview him for a
statement, and my secretary had scheduled a meeting with a CPS case worker;
I meeting I wasn't looking forward to as it was going to address what to do
with him when released from the hospital.
     When I finally got home I changed into a pair of shorts and booted the
first of Cindy's floppies, which turned out to be almost 1 MB Zip files
loaded with questions to answer and lists of documents she needed for me to
provide.  I hesitated before unzipping the second one, which as I feared
turned out to be another huge list of information and documentation she
would need 'after' I provided the 'preliminary' data she had asked for on
disk one.  'Yeah well,' I told myself as I grabbed a beer from the bar and
went back into my study.
     I worked on the huge questionnaire for fifteen minutes or so before I
decided enough was enough, and went outside.  Zeus as waiting at the
pasture fence looking at me like "Well?"  'Fuck this shit!' I decided as I
almost jogged to the tack room.
     I had ridden thirty minutes or so when my bare inner thighs, rubbing
against the leather saddle, began reminding me why I shouldn't ride in
shorts.  Zeus was not very pleased as we returned to the barn, but I
escaped with only minor chaffing.  I didn't notice I was recounting my day
to the big steed until I was almost done grooming him.  'Wake up fuck-head,
your so lonesome your talking to your horse!' I told myself.  Soon I was
back at the computer, digging for and entering all the boring data Cindy
needed.
     After my morning rounds I checked on Johnny.  He wasn't too happy
about talking to the police, but after several reassurances that they just
wanted to talk, that they were not going to put him in jail as he thought,
and a promise I would be there he seemed to relax.  I met Ryan in the hall
and we were making our way to the Physician's Lounge when John stepped out
of the elevator along with a very distinguished looking elderly man.  John
pointed toward the coffee pot behind the Nurses' Station as the two of them
walked toward it.
     "Do you know who that is?" Ryan asked as we entered the lounge.  "That
is Doctor Ebestein!"  The name caught my attention immediately Ebestein was
without question the icon of Sports Medicine in Texas, probably in the
Southwest US.  He was featured on news broadcasts and talk-shows routinely,
and had more major league sports teams and stars on his patient list than I
had patients.
     I was surprised when John introduced the old man as his "Senior
Partner", 'Damn, he's got a future!' I thought.  I looked Ebestein over a
little closer as he pulled films and papers out of has attache case, his
custom tailored suit probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, the watch
on his wrist was probably worth as much as my Jaguar.  Somehow I wasn't
surprised at his moderate Jewish accent, his voice and mannerisms reminded
me of the stereotype kindly old Rabi Hollywood so often portrays.
     He got right down to business.  He concurred there was no hope for the
boy's arm, but said a nerve bundle coming out of the lad's lower spine was
being deprived or an adequate blood supply, which he felt sure was causing
the leg problems.  What he described as 'minor' microsurgery would give
Johnny at least 90 percent use of the limb.
     When I asked about possible complications, and costs, recovery time
and such he replied, "It's a simple procedure, if he wasn't already in the
hospital it would be day surgery.  I can have him walking in two days,
normal activity in two or three weeks.  My normal fee is twenty thousand,
but I'll perform the surgery for free, if the hospital will donate the OR
time."
     "They'll donate it," Ryan replied.  "They might not know it yet, but
they will."  The look on his face made me wish I could have be a fly on the
wall when I talked to the Administrator.  When Ebestein said he would like
to operate tomorrow morning, if there was OR available Ryan replied, "There
will be, which one do you want?"
     I used my laptop to finish Cindy's questionnaire while I waited for
the police, and gave the floppies to Roberts.  Most of the interview went
well, but I began to wonder what was going on when the officers repeatedly
questioned the boy about some of dad's burglaries, if he had ever gone with
his father and such.
     Later in the morning, the CPS worker not only confirmed my concerns,
but gave me more reason to worry.  She told me that a child had been sent
through Doggie-Doors, to open the regular door, at several of the houses
they suspected Johnny's dad had hit.  I had to bite my tongue to keep from
throwing her out of my office when she commented, "If they can prove it,
that will make our jobs much easier, Juvenile Justice can figure out what
to do with him."
     I was on the phone to Cindy before the bitch got to the elevator.
"He'll get a lawyer, but I don't think it would be wise for me to represent
him," she said after I filled her in.  "I'm just looking toward the future,
but I cant represent both of you in, well in all circumstances.  I'll call
a friend at juvi, I'll take care of it."
     I thanked her and paid little mind to her comments as I several more
patients.  I was driving back to the hospital for my afternoon round, and
the blessed freedom that comes with the end of the workday, when her
statement flashed back into my mind.  "I cant represent both of you. . ."
"Looking toward the future. . ."  'What the hell did she mean by that?' I
wondered.  'Guess that's why I didn't study law!' I decided.
     Although I was a little anxious about Johnny's upcoming surgery,
Ronnie and Mark's cute pixie faces kept flashing into my mind as I drove
into town the next morning.  I could hear their giggles and feel their
warm, soft bodies against me.  'Yeah well, nine hours and we'll all be
home,' I thought.  'WE'LL be home, I like that ring!'
     I stayed with Johnny until he was rolled into the actual operating
room, Roberts, Ebestein, John already in scrub suits and masks waiting for
him.  I somehow wasn't surprised when I looked at my watch; exactly 7:30,
the time the surgery was scheduled for.
     After I got into the waiting room I booted my laptop, intending to
catch up on patient files during what I was sure would be a long wait.
After I stared at the first file for a couple of minutes I closed it
knowing I couldn't concentrate.  After a minute or so I opened Photoshop
instead, and began editing stills of the video I had shot of the horses and
kids last weekend.
     I did a double-take when I looked up at John walking toward me, then
the clock; 7:58 it read.  "We're done, Doctor Ebestein is changing, he'll
be out to talk to you in a minute."  I'm sure he read the concern my face
displayed as he added, "Everything went perfectly, he's doing great, "
before disappearing back into the scrub room.
     'Seven-thirty, to seven-fifty-eight, twenty-two minutes,' I thought.
'Twenty thousand, for twenty-two minutes work, did I choose the right
specialty?  I bill at 300 dollars an HOUR!'  I was still marveling at the
math when Ebestein walked up to me.  "He's doing fine, he will wake up by
noon.  Two of my PT's (Physical Therapist) will be here this afternoon to
start him walking.  I have three more surgeries at Methodist this morning,
I must go."  'What about the afternoon, another hundred thousand?' I
wondered as I watched him walk away.
     I had just parked at the office when my cell phone rang, Cindy calling
me.  "Hi Adam, I've have some papers I need you to sign, and we need to
talk about a couple of things.  Do you know when you might be free?" I
started reach for my PDA, trying to figure how to juggle my cell and laptop
at the same time in the middle of the street.  Instead of getting run over
I told her to come to my office, I could fit her in.
     I was releasing my third patient when I saw her sitting in the waiting
room and gestured her to follow me into my private office.  "Sign these,"
she said, handing me two folders.  I started to read them over, one of
which was about twenty pages long when she quipped, "I didn't say read
them, just sign them!  You get a copy."
     "This is just my retainer, hiring me as your lawyer.  This is a
custody application, the best way to handle the adoption.  The large
document is a Brief of Formulation, outlining for the court the months of
preparation we have spent to assure success, " she said.  "Yeah, it's true,
lawyers are crooked," she snickered.
     She went on to explain that, since I already had a relationship with
the boys through the Big Brothers' program, we could apply to CPS and the
courts for temporary custody, what she called a managing conservatorship,
the same custody St. Paul's had now, and at the same time declaring my
intention to adopt them.  If it was approved, they would be able to live
with me on a trial basis while all the legalities of the adoption were
untangled.  She had already talked to St.  Paul's and the boys' social
worker, and as long as the judge had no problem, her plan would fly.
     "How long all this going to take, and is this part, the temporary part
going to take," I asked.
     "The adoption will take six months to a year," she said, making my
heart sink.  "I scheduled a court appearance Friday afternoon, I hope you
can get free."
     I turned my face away a little to hide my scowl as I opened my PDA,
all I wanted to do Friday afternoon was pick up my little angels and open a
cold beer, not appear before some judge.  If it was going to be months
before I got them, why on a Friday!
     "I'm certain you'll take them home for good after the hearing," she
added.
     I stared at her, my mouth agape for several seconds. "What time, I'll
be there!" I whispered, somewhat amazed I could move enough air for even a
whisper.
     "One o'clock for a meeting, court at two.  Oh, you need to hire a
Nanny.  Well you already have hired a temp, me, it's in the brief," she
announced.  "I'm going to meet with the caseworkers and attorneys this
afternoon to get everything set up, I'll call you.  Oh, time to tell the
boys.  Do they own suits?"
     "They will tonight," I answered as I showed her out.
     The rest of the day was a whirlwind, trying to concentrate on my
patients when my mind was a million miles away.  Johnny was asleep, but had
taken two short walks when I checked in on him after rounds, and finally I
was heading home.  'Screw it', I decided as I turned onto the road leading
to the expressway, giving my Jag her head while still on the entrance ramp.
     Stewart and the boys were at the barn grooming the horses when I got
home.  As I changed into shorts and tee-shirt, I practiced and made the
hundredth or so revision to the little speech I spent most of the afternoon
mentally preparing.  I started toward the bar for a beer, thought a second
and rushed back into my bedroom, slipping on a pair of swim trunks under my
shorts.
     The three of them were about half way to the house when I stepped out
onto the patio.  Instantly two blond streaks dashed toward me, yelling at
the top of their lungs.  "Hi Doctor Pop!  You're home!!" Mark hooted as he
pounced at me, wrapping his legs around my waist and arms around my neck,
kissing my cheek.  Ronnie was right behind, slamming into a tight hug and
pushing against my hip.
     I kissed both of them, relaxing as I felt their warm, soft bodies.
After a second I remembered Stewart was with them, but when I looked around
she was standing next to the back yard gate smiling ear-to-ear.  She waved
and disappeared toward her truck.
     "You guys just got done riding, anyone thirsty?" I asked after we
hugged for probably a couple of minutes.  Just as I asked it dawned on me I
had a beer in my hand when I walked outside.  I shrugged as I saw it laying
on the patio, still bleeding a small amount of liquid.
     They both talked volumes per second as they got soft drinks from the
refrigerator and none to my surprise a bag of chips of the counter.  I
tried to listen to them as they filled me in on every detail of their
riding lesson, then school and life at St. Paul's, almost like we hadn't
been together in two years instead of two days.  I started to suggest a
swim, but didn't argue when they led me to the couch, leaning back as they
snuggled under my arms.  I stoked their thin arms and bony shoulders for a
few seconds, trying to remember the speech I spent all afternoon and half
my sanity developing.
     "Guys, some things are going on right now, some things that I think
you will like, but tonight's going to be a little crazy, the rest of the
week is.  We need to go back to town in a few minutes, maybe we can. . ."
     No!  Please Doctor Pop!" Mark interrupted.  "Please, we brought our
books and everything!"
     "We're not goi. . ."
     "Please sir, we did good last week!  We did good Sunday, PLEASE?"
Ronnie cut me off.
     "I'll, well we'll do extra homework even!  Please don't send us back
tonight, please!?!" Mark cried, burying his face against my chest.
     "You're not going back to St. Paul's tonight," I responded, ignoring
Ronnie's attempt to cut me off.  "We have to do some shopping.  Will you
guys listen to me?"  'So much for my great speech!' I thought, but I
couldn't remember it anyway.  They both nodded, and pulled against me so
tightly I wondered if I could get my ribs to move enough to keep talking.
     "What if there was a way you didn't have to live at St. Paul's
anymore, well only for a few more days?  Would you like that?"
     "But, NO!  What if we cant come here then!" Ronnie growled, pulling
away from me.  "That place is so fucked, we been good, we been extra good
so we can go with you places, why do we gotta?  I don't want another foster
home or shit!  They suck!"
     "Watch the language young man!" I barked before realizing it.  Mark
leaned away, both of them pulling into a semi-fetal position.  'Good show,
dumb-ass, and you're a professional shrink?' I told myself.
     "What if you moved from St. Paul's because you were going to be
adopted, say to go live on a horse ranch?  With an old hippy Doctor for a
dad?" I answered.  'Cindy you BETTER not let me down,' I prayed.
     Ronnie pulled away from me and pushed off the couch when I touched his
thin chest.  "I don't care, leave me alone!  Your just like all the. . ."
he stopped in mid phrase and turned back at me, his always beautiful eyes
cutting into me like daggers.  "You, well, you. . ."
     "I love you and want to adopt you, I want you to be my sons, and I
think we have figured out how I can," I answered.  "If that's what you
want."
     Ronnie's eyes x-rayed my head a couple of more times, those beautiful,
innocent eyes I had come to be enjoy being swallowed by now as brutal and
distrusting as the first time I looked into them, when his teeth were
embedded in my arm, in an attempt to protect his little brother.  'Cindy,
you better not let me down, US down!' I thought.  He looked at his little
brother then back at me, from his softening face I could tell what I had
just said was beginning to sink in.
     When I extended my hand toward him he hesitated, then slowly walked
next to me.  "You mean it?" he whimpered.  I nodded my head and started to
guide him back on the couch.  He started to sit down, but twisted and
pushed into my lap.  Mark, teary eyed, pushed back against me as Ronnie
began sobbing, burying his head on my chest.
     "I mean it," I whispered, pulling them both into a tight hug.  "I'm
GOING to adopt you, you are going to live here with me."  I held them
several minutes stroking their backs and necks.
     When they seemed calmed somewhat I continued, "Let me tell you what's
going to happen, okay?"  I felt more than saw a pair of weak nods.
"Tonight we need to go into town.  We're not going to St.  Paul's, we're
going shopping. We have to go to court, go to see a Judge Friday, so he
make sure it's okay that you move here, and you guys need some dress
clothes to wear to court." I could feel Mark stiffen.
     "I don't like Judges!" he cried.  "That last one put us in that
orphanage."
     "Well, I guess it would be reasonable to go see one to get you out of
the orphanage, wouldn't it?" I tried.  I could feel gears grinding in his
little head as he digested my statement.  He looked over at his brother for
a full second before nodding.  "Let's take a quick swim, I bet that will
make everyone feel better, and go shopping, okay?  I promise this judge
will be better!"  'Cindy, you better not let me down' I thought.
     They nodded and gave me a fresh hug before Ronnie climbed off my lap.
I was about to suggest they run upstairs and get into some trunks when the
both darted toward the patio door, peeling their shirts and shoes off as
they ran.  I leaned my head back on the couch and laughed as I watched them
kick out of their jeans and dive into the pool wearing only their briefs.
     Half an hour later I met them at the bottom of the stairs, their hair
still wet but wearing fresh shorts and tee-shirts.  They were quiet as we
drove to town.  After I parked at the mall we were walking toward Mevlyn's
Department Store when Mark pushed against my hip.
     "If we get adopted, how long do we get to live with you?" he asked
after a couple of steps.
     I considered the best way to answer, wondering if Mark had a grasp on
what adoption meant.  "Oh, quiet a while, until you are all grown up at
least, I guess after that until you get tired of me."
     He walked several more steps, clearly in deep thought.  "Wow, that's
gonna be a LONG time!" he giggled, wrapping his arms around my waist.
     We ended up compromising, the dark suits I had in mind went over like
a fart at a funeral.  After a couple of other tries I agreed on matching
charcoal dress slacks, white shirts and deep blue blazers.  I caught hell
but they finally agreed on gold ties almost exactly matching their hair.  I
had considered dress shoes, but realizing that IF I could force their feet
into them for Friday, that would in all likelihood be the only time they
would be worn.  I agreed to black leather Nikes.  They offered no argument
when we walked across the mall to an all-you-could-eat pizzeria.
     It was a little after ten before WE got all the homework done and the
kids took their baths.  I waited a few minutes after I heard the water stop
running before going upstair to tuck them in.  When I walked into their
room I had to do a double take, first at their empty, undisturbed beds,
then at the unoccupied room and their bathroom dark and empty.  After I
thought for a second I shook my head and went back downstairs, and into my
bedroom.
     I snickered when I saw an extra lump in the blanket, and when I
cleared my throat the lump giggled softly.  'Fuck it, it's a special day
for them' I thought.  "Okay, but you guys go to sleep, promise?" I asked as
I pulled the blanket back, finding of course a pair of little bodies
snuggled together.  "I'll be in in a few minutes," I added before I kissed
them on top of their heads.
     They were both sound asleep when I joined them thirty or so minutes
later, just their pixie noses and the top of their heads sticking out from
under the covers.  I carefully crawled under the covers to be sure I didn't
wake them up, when I was sure I hadn't I very gently brushed their golden
hair before closing my eyes.  I was almost asleep when I felt something
warm push against my chest and stomach, followed by one, then another thin
arm slide across my chest.  'Yes, there is a Heaven on Earth' I told myself
as I pulled them against me.  'I'm only twenty-four and I found it'.
     An incessant buzzing awoke me as I realized my little piece of heaven
as was being attacked by a demon.  I ignored it for a second or so while I
looked at my two sleeping angels, still nestled against me, before reaching
behind and fending off the beast, striking what I hoped would be a fatal
blow to its snooze button.
     When I leaned back onto my pillow I met a pair of sleepy hazel eyes
swallowing me, the dim morning light that filtered into the room reflecting
off the light dusting of freckles below them.  "Hi," Ronnie's sleepy voice
mumbled.
     "Hi Pumpkin," I whispered before I kissed him on the nose.  He pushed
his face under my chin and lay motionless as I stroked his back.  All too
soon the demon seemed to recover from my attack and invaded our paradise
with another buzz attach.  "Shit," I growled before striking another punch.
     "Can we go swimming?" Mark's soprano voice muttered from under the
blanket.
     "Yeah, please Doctor Pop," Ronnie whined.  "We can yum on the way to
school!"
     I guess I was waking up as the realistic side of me took over.  'This
wont work for a daily routine,' I thought.  'Now that you've spoiled
them. . .'  "Okay," I answered.  I got a matching pair of warm hugs before
the darted out for under the covers and rushed toward the patio door, their
brief clad bottoms bouncing on top of their long thin legs.  'Well, it is
my pool!' I thought as I followed behind, only in my underwear.
     Thankfully most of my day went smoothly.  Johnny was wide awake and of
course eating when I checked in on him, but even put down his fork and
proudly climbed out of bed and pranced around his hospital room, as proud
as a Peacock, despite his fairly severe limp.  Doctor Ebestein walked into
his room in mid-performance, applauding as he watched.  "Yes, today will be
a wonderful day," the old man commented as he pulled the boy's hospital
gown open and inspected his work.  "Take good care of him," he told me as
he left.
     Everything was completely on course with Cindy and the court hearing,
the lawyers and case workers she had met with were completely thrilled with
our plan.  "It's going to happen Adam!  With this kind of support Judge
Rodriguez would have to have gone insane to deny our petition."
     "Judge Xavier Rodriguez, 249 th?" I asked, a little stunned.  (249 is
a district court number)
     The phone was silent for a second or so before she answered, "Yes, is
there a problem?"
     "I'm in his courtroom at least every month.  For Court Ordered
Evaluations he specifically asks for me.  He has never denied any my
recommendations."
     "Well, congratulations Doctor Dad, this is going to be a cakewalk!"
     "Party time too!  Saturday at my house, , , ranch.  You and Carl and
the kids, I promise some major barbeque, okay?"  She started to say she'd
have to check their schedule, asked her husband when I interrupted, "Three
o'clock, just bring your riding boots and swim suits.  If you say no, I'll
deduct what the party costs from your fee, then you'd owe me money!"  She
laughed and agreed.
     The other side of reality sank in somewhat as I went through my day,
even as 'You're going to be a dad' rang through my mind.  The school the
boys currently attended was far from the best available, and a very long
way from either the ranch or the side of San Antonio I worked in.  Cindy
was right, leaving the boys at the ranch alone after school, much less all
day during school holidays, and God forbid summer vacation, late May until
late August. 'Vacation, shit five years of them for Ronnie, six for Mark?
Before we even think about college?' I asked myself.  'Shit!'
     I told my nurse to clear as much of my calender as she could for next
week without hurting the practice, demanding from 2:30 every afternoon on,
but also she clear twenty or so hours of my week.  'Shit, what have you
gotten yourself into THIS time?' I wondered.
     'The boys have a good point!' I thought as I dressed the next morning.
After trying on three suits I found one that didn't have hanger creases
from lack of wear.  'God, I hate starch!' I growled at the stiff shirt that
had been curing in my closet for probably three months, as I forced my arms
into it.  Deciding enough was enough I wrapped a tie around the suit coat's
hanger and hung it in the back seat of the car before leaving the house.
     Johnny was awake, watching early morning TV when I checked in on him.
I noticed a tablet with several pages of scribbled letters on it next to
his bed.  "I gotta learn to do stuff with this hand now," he whimpered when
I picked it up.  "Well, til I can get that one to work again," he added,
pointing at his paralyzed right hand.
      "I got to put on underwear for a few minutes," he bragged after we
talked for a couple of minutes.  "Well, but then it started hurting," he
added, pointing where I knew the incision was from his abdominal surgery.
His mood seemed to change as he said, "Well, my leg keeps hurting, it hurts
a bunch when they make me walk I don't wanta do that.  Why cant I just get
better.  Am I ever gonna get well?"
     "Yes, you're going to get well, you already have come a long way."
     "What's gonna happen to me?" the fear in his normally soft face made
me stiffen.
     "You're going to be here, in the hospital, for another week or two,
until we are sure you will heal, and then you probably will go to
rehabilitation center.  Its sort of like a home, but where they teach you
how to do things, like with one hand instead of two."  From his eyes I
could tell he wasn't too thrilled with that.  "That's not for long, just
while they help you, then we're going to find a home for you to live in,
where you can go back to school and be a normal boy again, like I bet you
would. . ."
     "Wow, they're SO neat," he interrupted me.  I looked at him wondering
what on earth he was talking about, then followed his eyes up to the TV
mounted above his bed.
     "You like horses?" I asked as the commercial ended.
     "They are so totally awesome!" he exclaimed.
     "I'll be right back, I promise," I said as I started toward the door
to his room.  I rushed down the hall and retrieved my laptop from the
Physician's Lounge.  "Let me show you some pictures of a few of my
friends," I said as I booted up, setting it on the food table over his bed.
     His eyes bugged as wide as saucers as I put a couple of the pictures
we had shot for St.  Paul's.  "That is Zoe, and the big one is my stallion,
Zeus." I said, pointing to one of the pictures.
     "Wow, they're your's?"
     "Yes, here are three more, that's Hera, and Athena, and Venus, I have
six of them."  I advanced to the next image before saying, "There are all
six of them, that's a shot from my sons' bedroom window."  'My sons' room,
did I say that?' I asked myself.
     He stared motionless at the screen, after a minute or so I found
myself checking to see if he was breathing.  "Would you like me to print
pictures of them for you?" I tried, getting no response.  "Johnny?  Earth
to Johnny," I added, stroking his hair.
     "I never really met a horse.  I never really met no one that owned a
horse!" he mumbled, his eyes still glued to the screen.  "You really, they,
Wow!  They are so neat!"
     "I'll bring you some more pictures tomorrow, okay?  I'll bring you a
video tape of them, so you can hear them too, how's that?"
     "Wow!" he whispered.
     "I'll tell you what.  You work hard and get well, and you can meet all
of them, I'll take you out to the ranch and you can ride one of them if you
want, and if you get strong enough.  Would that work?"
     A ward clerk started into the room carrying his breakfast tray.  She
started to back out of the room until I nodded at her, removing my laptop
from the table.  Johnny's eyes followed the screen until he saw the food
tray, which instantly snapped him back to our world.
     "I'll print your pictures and leave them with the nurse, okay?  I'll
be back tomorrow with that video too," I said.  I tossed his hair and
watched him dive into his meal for a couple of seconds before slipping out
of the room, wiping the tears from my eyes as I did.
     I copied the images to floppies and was at the Nurses Station, sending
them to the hospital's graphics department for printing, when two of the
nurses jumped up, staring down the hall.  When I turned around Johnny was
limping toward us, clearly pressing to move as fast as possible.
     "You're nice, Mister," he said to me looking up wide eyed.  "Do you
mean it, can I meet your horses?  I promise I'll try real hard!  Do you
promise?"
     "I promise," I replied, wrapping my hand around his neck.  He
immediately pushed against me, wrapping his arm around my waist.  "As soon
as you are strong enough, and healthy, we're going horseback riding!"  We
hugged for probably a full minute.
     "Come on Johnny, you have to eat breakfast," one of the nurses said.
When he and I looked she had a wheelchair waiting for him.
     "No, I gotta walk!  I gotta walk a bunch!" he declared.  He pulled me
against him for a couple of seconds before turning and limping back toward
his room.  When he started through the door he turned back toward the
Nurses' Station, his face taught I'm sure with pain.  When I smiled at him
he brightened into an even wider smile than mine, his face suddenly
relaxed.
     The rest of the morning seemed to drag on forever, three or so hours
or so until court seemed more like three days, my breakthrough with Johnny
ringing back into my mind every time I tried to relax..  Finally I had
dismissed my last patient and was out of the office.  I grabbed a bite to
eat on the way to the Juvenile Justice Center but only nibbled at it,
tossing most of in the trash before I cinched my neck into its noose, put
on my suit-coat and went inside to meet Cindy.
     The one o'clock meeting was boring to say the least.  We went into a
conference room to meet several lawyers, the Nun I knew was the Mother
Superior of St. Paul's and a couple of social workers that were there.
After everyone spent ten minutes or so agreeing on what everyone had
clearly already clearly agreed on, the lawyers huddled into a corner of the
room, comparing notes, while the rest of us stared at each other.  I was
pleased when Ronnie and Mark's caseworker informed me she was taking over
Johnny's case, biting my tongue to keep from thanking Cindy who I knew was
behind this.
     We talked while the lawyers did their thing, and I finally had time to
bring up my week or so idea of having a St. Paul's party at the ranch.  The
Mother Superior was liked the idea, but I didn't argue when she suggested
it be a going away party involving only the other boys in my kids' cottage
when she suggested all 300 of her residents might be a handful I didn't
argue.  Next weekend sounded like a good time for both of us.
     After I shifted my tie and throat slashing shirt a hundred times or
so, a glance at my watch revived me, it was almost two o'clock.  'The boys
should be here any minute and we could get this shit done!' I reassured
myself.  A malted milk, my big cat sprinting toward her ranch and freedom
for the weekend kept sounding better and better.  'Hang in there,' I told
my neck, 'I know it feels like a lynching but is's not!'
     As I checked my timepiece several more times I started to get
concerned, 1:50 and no kids.  From my experience with Judge Rodriguez, I
knew two o'clock was indeed two o'clock, don't show up at 2:02 because your
case was already history.
     Five minutes later I was surprised when the old Nun's habit began
chirping.  After she dug through several layers of her ten year or so
outdated garb she produced a cell phone.  "Oh dear, well travel safely, God
be with you," she said into it.  I was trying to analyze the tone of her
voice, the strangest mixture of a kindly old grandmother and a Marine Corps
Drill Instructor I think I had ever heard, when she stood up.
     "A traffic accident has occurred," she announced.  "Thankfully Sister
Opel and the children were not involved, but are delayed behind it.  She
assured me she will proceed as expediently as God wills her to."
     'No, this cannot be real!' I thought as I looked toward Cindy.  Our
eyes had just met when a Deputy Sheriff entered the room.  "Judge Rodriguez
is about to call your case.  Please follow me," he ordered.  'Fuck!' I
growled under my breath as I followed behind everyone.
     "Good afternoon Doctor Owens, its my pleasure to welcome you back to
my court, especially considering the petition before me!" the Judge began,
after his clerk called the court into order.  "I see no point in spending
much time here, all the parties are in complete agreement, and I know the
good doctor well enough that I have no problems signing the order.  I would
like to talk to the minors briefly, and if the attorneys do not have a
problem we are done."  He looked around his court for a second before
asking, "Where are the children?"
     Mother Superior explained the problem, and the judge was still
digesting her statement, his pleasant face fading rapidly, when the
courtroom doors opened.  Ronnie and Mark rushed in, running the first few
steps before slowing to a rapid walk as they saw the Judge's glare.
     "Hi Doctor Pop!" Mark hooted as they rushed to me.  "Wow, I never seen
you in clothes before, I didn't know you had any!" he exclaimed as he
pushed against my stomach and hugged me, is brother right behind.
     The courtroom was so silent I'm sure we would have heard a fly fart in
the basement as I felt every judicial and law enforcement eye in Texas
locked on me, along with every Nun and Priest between San Antonio and Italy
glare.

Author's Note:  Sorry about the cliff hanger, but I couldn't resist!

To Be Continued. . .